


Falling for Someone New

by pipblakely



Category: Teen Beach Movie (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Soulmates, Tanner is best boy, Teen Romance, cannon couples switched, just for fun, musical world
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-01-13 17:36:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21190529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pipblakely/pseuds/pipblakely
Summary: Mack and Brady are about to take Lela and Tanner back to their movie world and set things right when they all realise... Lela doesn't want to leave, and Brady doesn't want to stay. It's a wild thought but what if Brady took Lela's place in the movie?In the modern world Lela is happy and happy to know there are more options to her love interests, she can even date girls now! "Wet Side Story" becomes an even more unseen cult classic and no one can figure out how a musical featuring the romance between a biker boy and a surfer dude was ever made in the sixties.





	1. Tanner is a genius

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this switch a roo idea for a long time so I'm doing it!!! And as you'll soon see I have an unhealthy obsession with Tanner, the little cutie. Is it even that much of a stretch that Brady crushed on both him and Lela as he grew up watching this movie? I don't think so.  
This is for fun and fluff and fulfilling my childhood dream of making disney channel characters gay!

The plan was made. The surfboard was ready. All that was left now was to say goodbye. The four friends looked at each other sadly, hardly believing this was it. Tanner had to believe himself the saddest. This time he'd spent in the future had opened his eyes to so much. For instance when he'd found out that here, it was perfectly fine for boys to love boys and girls to love girls! He'd startled two boys kissing at Brady's school when he was jumping around in excitement. They were annoyed and said a word Brady told him he should never say. Ever since then, Tanner was looking at Brady in a whole new way. And now he had to leave and never find out what it meant. Now he had to go back to pretending he was in love with Lela. He now knew it had been the plot of the movie that had made him do that, but he'd never felt it. Not really. He hugged Brady the longest and felt the worst when he pulled away.

"Okay, now we haven't got much time! Let's get you two home!" Mack said, picking up the surfboard with Brady. Lela gave Tanner a small smile before following them. And that's when Tanner was struck by the best idea he'd had in his entire fictional life. He grabbed Lela's hand to stop her going further. She turned to him, confused.

"Lela wait. Be honest with me, do you want to go back to our movie world?" He asked her.

"Tanner, we have to go back. If we don't-"

"Be honest!" He said and she bit her lip, hesitating.

"No. I don't, I love it here! I mean I love my brother and our friends but... if there was a way for me to live and grow up here I'd take it. Where girls can do anything they want to and..." She looked over at Mack, "And I can write my own story." She said.

"Well I've got good news for you! Mack! Brady! Come back!" He called to them. They came back over but Mack looked a little annoyed.

"Tanner I don't think we have time-"

"This is important! We could be making a big mistake! See, Lela wants to stay. And I know, I know she has to come back to star in the movie. But what if someone else played the biker who fell in love with a surfer and got swept up in a turf war? Then the movie could go on as normal, just with one different character." The other three exchanged confused glances.

"You mean I should take Lela's place?" Mack asked.

"Not you, Brady!" Tanner said. Lela fought back a smile, Mack stared, Brady choked on air.

"Me!? Tanner that's- that's crazy!"

"Not really! To me it makes perfect sense! Lela loves it here and so does Mack. They love the modern real world, and I think they love being with each other too! But Brady, I know you were happier in my world than here. You said yourself, going there was a dream come true for you! If you come with me you can live in that dream forever!" Tanner said. Brady was looking at Tanner starry eyed, until he broke the gaze and glanced nervously at Mack.

"You wanna go with him don't you?" She said. Brady nodded.

"I'm sorry but- I mean we haven't really working and... I think it's because since I saw what was out there, I was wishing I was there instead of here." He said. Mack nodded.

"I get it and honestly? I'm not sad about breaking up, I'm sad that if you go I won't see you. You're still my best friend." Brady pulled her into a hug.

"Maybe we can find a way to go between the two worlds whenever we want. With Tanner's genius and my inventor skills, I think anything's possible." She laughed a little.

"It honestly is genius, i was dying inside thinking I'd never see Lela again." She whispered. "I think I like her."

"I think I like him. That's why we have to do this." He whispered back.

"Good luck."

"You too." Brady looking over at Tanner, bubbling with joy. "Shall we?" He held out his hand to him. Tanner beamed and took it. The start of the new story, he was sure of it.

Mack and Lela watched from the shore as Tanner and Brady disappeared into the waves. They looked at each other, smiling.

"Guess I'm gonna have to explain to my parents why my new friend has to live with us.." Mack said. Lela burst out laughing, jumping in delight and throwing her arms around Mack. Mack laughed too, grabbing her and spinning her around on the beach. When they parted Lela was still giggling.

"I can't believe it! I'm here in the future, Mack! For good!" She said.

"It's the present now for you doll. You might need to educate me more on sixties slang."

"No, you have to teach me on 2015 slang! Because bae, I live here now!" Mack smirked at Lela, spinning on the sand.

"Close enough." She said fondly.

In the world of Wet Side Story, Brady and Tanner walked out of the ocean, still hand in hand, completely dry. The rest of the bikers and surfers were waiting for them on the beach and seeing them, Tanner dropped Brady's hand. They looked at Tanner in relief, to Brady in bewilderment. Butchy stepped forward.

"Why's he here? Where's Lela?" He said.

"I'm sorry Butchy, Lela's staying in the future. But Brady's here to take her place so things can still work here! And it must've worked because everything's here, and you're all okay!" He said with a grin. The gangs looked at him like he was crazy or doing one of his goofball jokes. But Brady knew just how much he'd thought about this, and looked at him like he was the smartest person who ever lived.


	2. But you're both boys??

"How do you think they took it?" Brady asked Tanner.  
"For them? Pretty well!" Tanner replied. They were both tied up back to back in chairs in the middle of the dancefloor at Big Momma's. The bikers and surfers were arguing around them, except this time it wasn't a war between the two gangs. It was a war between those who thought Brady should stay and those who thought he should be thrown back into the sea where he came from. Butchy whistled for quiet and approached the traitors.  
"Alright! I could maybe understand you wanted to bring Brady back. But Tanner how could you leave Lela out there in that freaky other world! Out on her own! She'll get pummeled!" He said. Some of the others on the "throw Brady back" side made shouts of agreement.  
"Butchy I'm sorry but I told you, she chose to stay! If she'd wanted to come back I never would've suggested it!" Said Tanner.  
"Well- well- I wish I could yell at her but she's not here!" He stamped around, trying to come up with another point.  
"Butch, I'm sad that Lela's not here, really but I think Tanner's got a real point! Brady can sing, he can dance, he fits right in with us! He belongs here!" Seacat came to the rescue. Tanner smiled at his friend.  
"Exactly! It was... meant to be." He added, holding onto Brady's hand inbetween the rope tieing them together.  
"But I don't get this!" Butchy came back to face them. "What were you expecting Tanner!? That- that Brady takes Lela's place in the story?"  
"Yep." Said Tanner.  
"Her place as your love interest?"  
"Uh-huh." Said Brady.  
"And- and he's going to dance with you!?"  
"What are you implying? He's a great dancer!" Seacat added.  
"And- kiss him!?"  
"Only if he doesn't mind." Said Tanner.  
"I wouldn't mind." Said Brady with a smirk. Butchy made a few exasparated noises before sighing and giving up.  
"Fffine! But then he ain't my brother. He's not Lela."  
"Of course not," said Tanner. "He's Brady. I wouldn't change him for anyone." Seacat and a couple others untied them and began hugging Brady, welcoming him to the family. They all sat down and listened in awe as Tanner told them something many of them had always hoped could be true. That loving someone the same gender as you was okay! And Brady could play his love interest because the truth was- Tanner didn't feel attracted to girls that way! He loved Lela as a best friend and companion but now he knew he didn't have to pretend that he loved her any more than that. The story had been changed and now all of them, could choose how they wanted theirs to go. Butchy had been pounting in the corner for most of this speech. But all that talk about falling in love with boys... he looked over at Seacat and a small smile grew on his face. Maybe this surfer had a bit of a point.


	3. Falling for him

Tanner faced himself in the mirror. The moment he'd been waiting for was soon approaching. He practised the dazzling smile he was known for. Still got it. But he looked different now. He felt different too, like he was introducing himself to the person he'd always been inside. He turned at someone coming in the bathroom. It was Seacat.

"Hey pal. You almost ready?" He asked.

"I think so! I'm a little nervous!" Tanner replied with laugh.

"It'll be fine. You've done this hundreds of times!"

"Yeah, with Lela. This is different..." Tanner looked back at his refection. "For Brady.. I can't make sense of what I'm feeling- I tried so hard not to show how happy I am around him and it never worked." He smiled, pure and genuine. "I can't hide anymore."

"Then don't hide it Tanner. Be happy." Seacat put a hand on his shoulder and Tanner beamed at him.

"I will!"

"Yeah! You go out there and catch Brady when he falls for you!"

"Oh- Me and him talked about this, he's not singing Lela's song. I am!"

"You're singing Falling for Ya?"

"Yeah, it's kinda been my dream... forever. Can you join Giggles on back-up?"

"Well I have had some practice with that song so sure." Tanner tilted his head at him. "Oh, long story. Let's go."

Tanner took his place on stage on his cue. He nodded at the band they started playing. The lights were shining down, everyone's eyes were on him. His nerves evaporated as the music seemed to take over him. He swayed slightly from side to side, smiling before he began singing.

"The day started ordinary, boys walking by..."

Seacat and Giggles sang back up for him, feeling giddy at Tanner singing about boys. The dance floor filled with teens dancing to the dreamy song. The surfers performing the number wasn't the only change of course. Brady was at the back of the room leaning against a wooden beam, gazing at Tanner. Hardly acting at all. He was singing his heart out and had such a beautiful voice. Brady couldn't help but think back to when he could only see Tanner through a screen, questioning his sexuality every time that handsome boy entered the scene. And now he was more sure that he was not straight than ever.

"Feels like I've tumbled from another world, into your arms and it's so secure. Maybe I'll stumble but I know I can't, head over heels I'm gonna be your man." Tanner swayed and spun to the music, his heart leaping for what was about to come. When the time was right he danced a little too close to the edge of the stage and fell backwards. He landed securely in Brady's strong arms. Their eyes locked and Tanner put his arms around him, never wanting him to let go.

"And now I'm falling for ya! Falling for ya! Can't hold on any longer, and now I'm falling for you!" Tanner touched Brady's nose making him blink out of his dream like stare. The music, the dancing all seemed to fade around them. "Guess I really fell for ya, huh?" Tanner said softly. Brady was almost speechless, it was like he was living in a fantasy. "Thanks for catching me..." Tanner added as Brady put him down and they faced each other on the dance floor.

"My pleasure..." Said Brady quietly. Tanner smiled up at him, Brady could swear he was blushing. Brady took his hands and lead him into the dance he'd memorised since he was 12. They knew they didn't have long before the fight would brake out exactly as planned. But right here, right now that song was written for them. They were falling for each other.


End file.
